Lazy Girl Lasagna!

This is my mom's one pan lasagna recipe! Absolutely yummy for those chilly winter nights! Wonderful to layer together, toss in the oven and forget while you enjoy the laughter of friends over for dinner!

Ingredients:
2 jars of your favorite pasta sauce (You need a little more than 1 jar usually.)
1 box lasagna regular noodles (not the precooked ones)
1 container cottage cheese
1 container ricotta cheese
1 bag baby spinach (or substitute your favorite.... like ground beef.)
1 bag part-skim shredded mozzarella cheese
1 small bag shredded Parmesan cheese
1 squirt of Pam or a dash of olive oil
1 glass rectangular oven pan
Preheat oven 350

What to do:
Mix the cottage cheese and ricotta together and set aside. Lightly grease the pan with a squirt of Pam or olive oil. Now you're ready to build the layers! Put a little bit of pasta sauce at bottom of the pan and then start layering! Lasagna noodles, spoonfuls of cottage/ricotta mixture (I smooth them out a bit once I drop them in.) baby spinach leaves, shredded mozzarella to cover. Now depending on your preferences, you can add a layer of sauce or simply start layering again beginning with the noodles. You want to layer until you reach the top of the pan. I usually get 3 or 4 layers in before I reach the top. Once all the layers are completed, pour the remainder of the sauce all over. Bake one to one-and-half hours. After 30 minutes or so, loosely drape a piece of tin foil over the top. It keeps the top from getting too brown. After an hour, poke the noodles with a fork. If tender, remove from oven, cover with Parmesan cheese and allow it to cool about 5 minutes. Then serve! Prepare yourself for RAVE reviews! Anne

Glorious Day!
Breathe deep! The sounds of nature and falling water all about. There's nothing like a romp through Great Falls park on a day like today! A brief respite from the tapping of keys, whirling washer and spinning dryer! This picture taken by Brendan Reals captures the subtle beauty of the day!

Time to Force Some Branches!!!!



I don't know about you but my gardens are a mess from all the snow storms this winter! Have you lost branches off of your flowering trees or bushes? Here is a great idea if you can get through the snow drifts to them! Every late winter (Feb - March) I prune a couple of branches off of my flowering trees and do this project with my children. It is so much fun and is a great way to get into the spring mood!

Simply prune some branches, bring them inside and give them a fresh cut, put them in a vase of water and change the water every couple of days, and voila! Spring is Sprung! Alot of other people will tell you to smash the stems with a hammer, soak the branches over night in a bathtub, ect. I have never had the time or energy to take those extra steps and my branches do just fine! They also do not require direct sunlight so indirect light is great! Perfect project for an entrance hall table or any other little nook that could use a touch of spring!

The kids love to add little birds, bird houses and nests....get creative!

Note: If you have a freshly fallen branch and when you cut the stem you see green...you are good to go!

Happy Valentine's Day! Nancy and I wish to extend a heart-felt THANK YOU to all of the friends, family, clients and customers who have inspired, encouraged and supported our dream of a successful business!

Hello Everybody! Let me brush the snow out of my eyes! Yes, it's up to our beautiful eyeballs here in Virginia! Our whimsical shop adorned with glistening chards, weathered the storm like the sturdy cottage it is. Warm and welcoming inside, it delights the visitor with the promise of spring. Stop by and say hello if you're in the neighborhood!

Snow Day!!!!

Just a quick note to share my snowy garden with you today......The groundhog said 6 more weeks of winter brrrrrrr!




A Sweet Garden Angel



The Gossip Bench!

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This nest is waiting for it's new family!